"My behemoth breaked.  It doesn't work ( Read more... )

The youth sniffed: the stink of the beast musked the still air.  He breathed deeply, trying to push his fear out of his shoulderblades, gripping the broad-bladed boar-spear tightly in his hands, the crosspiece recently repaired, the last loving gesture a father could make for his eldest child.  He touched the lashings that bound the wood together ( Read more... )

Woke up on time, faffed a little bit longer than I expected and decided to grab breakfast, since the ho(s)tel provided it from 4am.  I'd decided what I knew all along: I wanted to climb the steps.  It made little sense to walk all the way to the doorstep Machu Picchu and then do the last bit by bus.  On the other hand, I was going to have to hurry ( Read more... )

Woke up feeling good at a sensible time, which is just as well, as we didn't get an alarm call and tea this morning.  I suspect Edwin had a few too many Pisco Cokes ( Read more... )

I have been roughing it for so long, but I'm sat in a modern hotel restaurant, with complementary, or included, same difference, dinner with two glasses of Pisco Sour, although philosophically one is no longer a glass of Pisco Sour, and the taste of bread with herb butter has sent me into trembling palpitations ( Read more... )

MorningMy left big toe is purple.  Not sure what to do about it.  I don't know whether I should puncture it or leave it.  Other than that I have a heavily blistered fourth toe on my right foot, but otherwise there is no external sign of foot damage.  My legs are covered with recovering bites, mostly from the first day, but with reinforcements since ( Read more... )

I didn't sleep.  I don't know whether to blame the aggravating insect bites, the lack of a shower, the hot chocolate, the altitude or the maté da coca.  Take your pick ( Read more... )

So the hike is going well.  I am definitely fast on the flatter sections and most of the walk today was on road: easy walking, but long ( Read more... )

Not much to report.  I'm in Cuzco waiting for a meal that may never arrive ( Read more... )

Not much to say.  I got up, packed, had breakfast, caught the transfer to the airport, caught the plane to Lima, caught the taxi to the hotel, walked to a local restaurant for an afternoon meal, then went back to the hotel and relaxed/passed out for the rest of the day.